110 likes | 268 Views
http://www.iucaf.org. Just what do the letters IUCAF stand for?. IUCAF used to stand for “Inter-Union Commission on the Allocation of Frequencies for Space Research and Radio Astronomy” The title was later changed to
E N D
Just what do the letters IUCAFstand for? • IUCAF used to stand for “Inter-Union Commission on the Allocation of Frequencies for Space Research and Radio Astronomy” • The title was later changed to “Scientific Committee on Frequency Allocations for Radio Astronomy and Space Science” But “IUCAF” had become so well known that it was decided to keep the same acronym.
In 1960 ICSU set up the Inter-Union Commission “IUCAF” to work towards keeping parts of the radio spectrum clear for passive, scientific use. • Represents URSI, the IAU and COSPAR at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). • Formation was partly prompted by the potential threat from Project WEST FORD. (Needles in orbit). • In 1961 CORF was established “to serve as the United States counterpart to IUCAF.”
where (in alphabetical order): CORF Committee on Radio Frequencies COSPAR Committee on Space Research CRAF Committee on Radio Astronomical Frequencies IAU International Astronomical Union ICSU International Council of Scientific Unions ITU International Telecommunication Union IUCAF Inter-Union Commission for the Allocation of Frequencies for Radio Astronomy and Space Science RA Radiocommunication Assembly SG 7 Radiocommunication Study Group7 URSI International Union of Radio Science WRC World Radiocommunication Conference
where (in alphabetical order): CORF Committee on Radio Frequencies COSPAR Committee on Space Research CRAF Committee on Radio Astronomical Frequencies IAU International Astronomical Union ICSU International Council of Scientific Unions ITU International Telecommunication Union IUCAF Inter-Union Commission for the Allocation of Frequencies for Radio Astronomy and Space Science RA Radiocommunication Assembly SG 7 Radiocommunication Study Group7 URSI International Union of Radio Science WRC World Radiocommunication Conference
“IUCAF members had to evolve from being starry-eyed astronomers as they encountered a world of politics, lobbying, entertainment, threats, espionage and bribery. On one occasion, an offer (in Geneva) of two million dollars in cash “to shut up” proved no match for dedication to the joys and excitement of twentieth-century astrophysics.” Brian Robinson, “Frequency Allocation: The First Forty Years.” Ann Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 1999, 37:65-96